State audit finds procedural problems with PennDOT bridge inspections

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation does a good job inspecting bridges in poor condition, but it doesn’t always follow all its procedures.

That’s the conclusion of a review of inspections between July 2020 to May 2023 by the state auditor general’s office.

Auditor General Timothy DeFoor told a news conference Tuesday that his office reviewed inspections of bridges listed in poor condition because they potentially could be the most dangerous to the public. The agency has stronger requirements than the U.S. Department of Transportation for inspections of bridges in poor condition, DeFoor said, but it needs to make sure it follows all its procedures.

In a review of 83 inspections, auditors found instances where the agency didn’t have properly certified inspectors leading the review team, didn’t file inspection reports in a timely manner and one time didn’t close a bridge despite the recommendation from an inspection by a private contractor. None of the failures led to conditions that endangered the public, DeFoor said, but the requirements are a critical part of the process and should be followed.

“What they need to do is follow [the requirements] closely,” DeFoor said. “I am here to tell you as an auditor that processes matter. It’s important for our safety and the investment of our tax dollars that all bridge inspection reports are consistent, filed on time, and the qualifications of the teams doing the inspections are readily available.”

Auditors issued seven findings and issued 24 recommendations for improvements. In a letter responding to the audit, PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said he agreed with many of the findings but said many of them were procedural and didn’t result in dangerous conditions for motorists.

He said the agency disagreed with the finding that a dangerous bridge was allowed to remain open despite a consultant’s recommendations because the plan to improve the bridge was developed with strong input from the private inspection team.

Although it wasn’t related to the audit, PennDOT changed some inspection procedures after the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh’s Point Breeze neighborhood collapsed in January 2022. The bridge had few improvements despite being listed in poor condition for more than 15 years before it fell into Frick Park, taking six vehicles with it and injuring nine people.